Easy-opening packaging for melted or semi-liquid substances

ABSTRACT

A container is made of a first sheet of flexible material from which is cut out a blank forming the bottom and, by successive folding, the sides, the sides of the blank having edge flaps folded down and welded to a second flat sheet forming the cover or top. The folding is effected in such a way that the folded-down flap of one side wall provides a single thickness, substantially rectangular tear strip whose lateral edges are defined by double thickness triangular portions. This tear strip is formed in the first sheet so that, by grasping the end of the tear strip, the latter may be torn from the folded-down flap, the main portion of the adjacent side wall and at least the bottom wall of the container to open the container.

ilnitedt States Stet de Hahshllli'g 51 Dec. 9, 11975 EASY-UPENHNG PACKAGING FUR 2,201,956 5/1940 Little 229/51 TS MELTIED OR SEMiLi ilin SUBSTANCES 22 ert [75] inventor: Dominic de Hahshurg, Berndorf,

Austria J 1 rzmary Examiner-William i. Price [73] Assignee: Samos, France Assistant ExaminerStephen P.. Garbo [22] Filed: p 24, 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle 21 l 1 Appl NO 463733 I [57 ABSTRACT W l Apphcatmn Data A container is made of a first sheet of flexible material [631 -P of See N 26212581 June 13, from which is cutout a blank forming the bottom and, 1972* abandmdt by successive folding, the sides, the sides of the blank having edge flaps folded down and welded to a second [30] Fmengn Apphcanon Prmnty Dam flat sheet forming the cover or top.

June 14, 1971 France 71121442 The folding is effected in Such a y that the: folded-down flap of one side wall provides a single 0 7 [52] CH "229/87 igg i iTi g F 6 thickness, substantially rectangular tear strip whose E at U 2 B65D45/6 lateral edges are defined by double thickness [58] gg d TS 3 5 MP. triangular portions. This tear strip is formed in the first 8 123 6 sheet so that, by grasping the end of the tear strip, the latter may be torn from the folded-down flap, the 56] References Cited main portion of the adjacent side wall and at least the bottom wall of the container to open the container.

4 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 Sheet 1 0f 4 3,924,803

US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,924,803

US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,924,803

US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 Sheet 4 of4 3,924,803

EASY-OPENING PACKAGING FOR MELTED OR SEMI-LIQUID SUBSTANCES This application is a continuation-in-part application of a previous Patent Application Ser. No. 262,258, filed June 13, 1972, now abandoned.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an easy-opening packaging for melted or semi-liquid substances.

It is already well-known that, in the food industry in particular, it is usual to wrap products such as soft cheese, butter, etc. in sheets of aluminum for example, the wrapping then being hermetically sealed by welding under pressure so as to guarantee the consumer the desired hygienic conditions. In order to facilitate opening of a pack of this kind, a strong strip of suitable synthetic material is affixed to the wrapping and provided with a pull-off tab. When the consumer pulls this tab, he tears the aluminum foil.

In this prior-art type of wrapping, when the tear-off strip is pulled, the wrapping foil is torn, but not sufficiently wide enough to extract the product contained in the wrapping or to be able to remove the wrapping from the product such as soft cheese, without deforming the product or soiling ones fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a pack of the aforesaid type that enables the above drawback to be overcome by suitably folding the wrapping foil so as to obtain a larger, strong tear-off strip formed by the wrapping foil itself, after welding. This strip can easily be torn from its position on the pack, thus opening the latter almost completely and permitting easy access to the product contained in the pack.

The invention provides a pack formed from a first sheet of flexible material, which adheres to itself through the application of an external force, such as heat, pressure or both, or which is coated with a material which adheres to itself or with an adhesive. For example, the first sheet can be a thin sheet of metal foil which is plastic coated, on one surface, and which defines, through rectilinear fold lines, a polygonal container bottom and container sides extending perpendicularly upwardly from the bottom at the fold lines defining the bottom, the container sides having rectilinear fold lines in spaced parallel relation to the bottom and defining respective edge flaps at the upper edges of the sides. A second sheet of material similar to the first sheet is congruent with the bottom and is positioned on top of a substance filled into the container to the level of the fold lines defining the edge flaps. One edge flap is wider than the others, and is partially folded on itself to form triangular double thickness end portions separated by a single thickness rectangular portion, so that the one edge flap is trapezoidal, only the contacting surfaces of the double thickness end portions being weldable to each other. The other edge flaps are folded against and welded to the second sheet, and the one edge flap is folded over the second sheet with only the single thickness rectangular portion welded to the second sheet. Thereby, the one edge flap constitutes a pull tab, reinforced by the double thickness end portions which are not welded to the second sheet, for tearing away at least the major portion of the side wall having the one edge flap and at least the major portion of the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The description which follows with reference to the accompanying non-limitative exemplary drawings will give a clear understanding of how the invention can be carried into practice.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate the operations of making a pack, according to the invention, that takes the form of a parallelepiped of relatively small depth with a square or rectangular base.

FIGS. 6 through 11 show the operations of making a different embodiment of the pack, according to the invention, that likewise takes the form of a similar parallelepiped with a square or rectangular base.

FIGS. 12 through 17 show the operations of making a further embodiment of the pack according to the invention, with a base of triangular or circular sector shape.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a cut-out sheet of a suitable material such as plastic coating coated having rectilinear fold lines defining a rectangular bottom 1, sides 2,3,4,5, edge flap 2a, 4a, 5a and a wider edge flap 6.

The first step is to turn up (FIG. 2) sides 2, 4, 5 and their edge flaps 2a, 4a, 5a, as well as side 3 and wider edge flap 6 intended toform a pull-off tab, so that they are vertical and perpendicular to bottom 1. The four corners are then folded along the rectangular fold lines A,B,C,D, respectively. The ends of side 3 and of edge flap 6 are folded along the fold lines E and F, merging, respectively, with the edges of the prism thus formed, and then folded down against the adjacent sides 4 and 5. Also folded down against sides 4 and 5 are the double thickness flaps 7 and 8 resulting from the folds along fold lines A and D.

Once the pack has reached this stage of the operations, it is filled (FIG. 3) with the product 9 (soft cheese, for example) delivered by the nozzle 10. A flat sheet 11 of identical shape and size to bottom 1 is then placed on top of the product 9. Sheet 11 is formed of a material similar to the first mentioned sheet.

The final folding operations of the pack are then carried out (FIG. 4). Edge flaps 4a and 5a are folded over the top sheet 11, as is edge flap 2a. The flap 6 is then folded on itself along the diagonal fold lines G and H and the corresponding double thickness triangular portions 12 and 13 are folded over tab 6, to leave a single thickness rectangular central portion the portions 14 and 15 that form edges being then folded down on to the top 11. Lastly, the edge flap 6 is folded over top 11 and the whole periphery is welded under pressure to top 1 1, leaving the triangular end portions of tab 6 free.

This gives a pack (FIG. 5) tightly closed through adhesion top top 11 of adhered edge flaps 2a, 4a, 5a on top 11 on the one hand, through portions 14, 15 in the same manner, and through the central rectangular part of flap 6 in the same manner. Flap 6 only centrally adhered but with free double thickness end portions makes it possible, when flap 6 is pulled in the direction of arrow 16, to tear the metal sheet along the lateral edges of side wall 3, that is to say on folded, thus weakened lines of the blank, and along bottom 1 and side wall 2 in the same manner on folded lines with respect to sides 4 and 5, thereby exposing the major part of the product and enabling it to be consumed without being touched with the fingers.

Reference is next had to FIGS. 6 through 11 for a further embodiment of the pack according to the invention which also takes the form of a flattened parallelepiped with a square or rectangular base.

FIG. 6 shows a cut-out sheet forming the blank having rectilinear fold lines defining bottom 20, sides 21, 22, 23, 24, edge flaps 21a, 23a, 24a and pull-off flap 25.

The first step is to fold (FIG. 7) sides 21, 23, 24 so that, with their edge flaps 21a, 23a and 24a, they stand up vertically, perpendicular to bottom 20. Side 22, together with flap 25, is also turned up. The four corners are then folded along the diagonal fold lines J, K, L, M, respectively. The double thickness folds 26 and 27 thus formed are folded back against the outside of side 21, the double thickness folds 28 and 29 being folded back against the outside of side 22 and flap 25.

Filling is then carried out (FIG. 8) as in the case of FIG. 3, and a top 30, of identical shape and area to bottom 20, is placed on it. Top 30 is made of the same material as used to form the blank.

Edge flaps 23a and 24a, followed by edge flap 21a, are folded over top 30. Flap is then folded along the diagonal fold lines N and P (which are now coincident with N and P, respectively) and is finally folded over top 30. By means of head 31, the whole periphery is welded under pressure to top (FIG. 10), leaving the double thickness triangular end portions of tab 25 free. An air tight pack is obtained that allows easy release of the product contained therein when flap 25 is pulled in the direction of arrow 32 (FIG. 11) in the same way as hereinbefore stated with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIGS. 12 through 17 show a further embodiment of the pack according to the invention, with a base of triangular shape or circular sector shape.

FIG. 12 shows the cut-out sheet forming the blank having rectilinear fold lines defining bottom 33, sides 34, and 36, edge flaps 35a and 36a and edge flap 37.

First (FIG. 13) the side 34 (with flap 37), 35 and 36 (with their edge flap 35a and 36a) are turned up so that they are perpendicular to bottom 33. The portions adjacent to side 34 and to flap 37 are folded along the diagonal lines Q and R, and the folds thus formed are folded (along lines S and T) against the outside of sides 35 and 36.

The fold formed at the apex by the ends of sides 35 and 36 is folded back against one side (36). Filling is performed in the same way as before (FIG. 14). A triangular top cover 38 (identical to bottom 33) is placed on the product contained in the first part of the pack. Edge flaps 35a and 36a (FIG. 16), then portions 39 and 40, are folded over cover 38. The ends of tab 37 are folded along lines U and V, and lastly flap 37 is folded over cover 38. Finally, by means of head 41, the periphery of the upper portion is welded under pressure to cover 38, leaving the double thickness triangular end portions of the flap free.

By pulling flap 37 the sheet forming the pack is torn and portions 34 and 33 are torn away at least partially, thereby providing easy access to the product.

It is to be noted that the afore described packages are intended to be fluid tight packages the opening of which can be efficiently made, largely separating the product packed from the package itself for giving a free access to the product, without damage to the product and soiling of the fingers of the user. To this end, the foil used is coated on one side with one component of a plastic adhesive, that does not stick on product or fingers, but adheres only on a second component or on the same adhesive, the second adhesive component or same adheisve being the external coating on the top 11.

The consequence of such a constitution for the materials that constitute the wrapping of a product is the following: when the internal face of foil 1 coated with plastic adhesive comes in contact with similarly coated external face of top 11, under edge flap 2a, 4a, 5a as well as side extensions 14,15, as seen in FIG. 4, sticking or soldering is ensured by coaction of the respective adhesive components. Soldering can be ensured by mere contact, or under heat, pressure, or both.

Considering FIG. 4, for example, it is easy to see that flap 6 comprises, adjacent lines G and H, folded double thickness triangular end portions 12 and 13 whose inner contacting surfaces are constituted by the inner surface of foil 1. When flap 6 is applied on top 11, the major part of flap 6 does not stick on top 11, but remains only folded thereon, so that it is easy to impose on flap 6 a preparatory movement at the beginning of the opening phase. There is only a sticking between top 11 and tab 6 on a central line of the tab, wherein is uncovered a rectangular zone or portion in which plastic adhesive can engage complementary adhesive on cover 1 1. The sticking zone between top 11 and flap 6 is very narrow and its rupture at the opening is easy, the flap being reinforced and easily gripped between the fingers due to the double thickness portions on its ends. The narrow sticking zone nevertheless ensures the continuity of the fluid tightness between parts 14 and 15 on top 11.

Fil 1 is folded and each fold line creates a line of weakened resistance such a line exists along the top 11, between the later and flap 6, and at the separation of parts 14,15 and 12,13 respectively.

Moreover, the foil is for example an aluminum laminate 12/1000 mm thick, and the top 11 also an aluminum laminate 25/1000 mm thick, so that the top is significantly more stiff. This facilitates the rupture of the central stuck zone of the flap 6 and cracking of foil at the lines between folds 12, 13 and 14, 15, thus facilitating more the cutting of the foil along lines marked by the folds between sides 3 and 4, 5 than between sides 4, 5 and bottom 1, by the arcuate movement indicated in FIG. 11, for example.

It is apparent that all the described embodiments present the same particularity and advantages, as hereinabove explained.

Generally speaking, the reason why the opening obtained by tearing is efficient is that double thickness layers of material, in which the two layers are bonded to each other, are in direct relationship with the single thickness rectangular intermediate portion of the flap 6, for example, in the immediate vicinity of fold lines which further weaken the single thickness material. The fold lines facilitate the desired cutting action. In addition, with the present invention there is provided a tab which has a sufficiently large and strong area for easily enabling a start for the rip, which removes nearly three sides of the package to expose approximately 50% of the product.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. A container, for meltable or semi-liquid sub stances, comprising, in combination, a first sheet of flexible material having only one surface which is weldable to similar material; said surface facing the interior of said container said first sheet defining, through rectilinear fold lines, a polygonal container bottom and container sides extending perpendicularly upwardly from said bottom at the fold lines defining said bottom; said container sides having rectilinear fold lines in spaced parallel relation to said bottom and defining respective edge flaps at their upper edges, a second sheet of flexible material having only one surface which is weldable to similar material, said surface facing outwardly of said container said second sheet being congruent with said bottom and positioned on top of a substance filled into said container to the level of the fold lines defining said edge flaps; one of said edge flaps being wider than the other edge flaps and being folded on itself to form triangular double thickness end portions separated by a single thickness rectangular portion whereby said one edge flap is trapezoidal; the contacting surfaces of said double thickness end portions being welded only to each other; said other edge flaps being folded against and welded to said second sheet and said one edge flap being folded over said second sheet with only said single thickness rectangular portion welded thereto; said one edge flap constituting a pull tab, reinforced by said double thickness end portions not welded to said second sheet for tearing away at least the major portion of the side wall having said one edge flap and at least the major portion of said bottom to expose the filled-in substance.

2. A container for me ltable or semi-liquid substances, as claimed in claim 1, in which said bottom is a triangle.

3. A container for me ltable or semi-liquid substances, as claimed in claim 1, in which. said bottom is a rectangle.

4. A container for me ltable or semi-liquid substances, 

1. A container, for meltable or semi-liquid substances, comprising, in combination, a first sheet of flexible material having only one surface which is weldable to similar material; said surface facing the interior of said container said first sheet defining, through rectilinear fold lines, a polygonal container bottom and container sides extending peRpendicularly upwardly from said bottom at the fold lines defining said bottom; said container sides having rectilinear fold lines in spaced parallel relation to said bottom and defining respective edge flaps at their upper edges, a second sheet of flexible material having only one surface which is weldable to similar material, said surface facing outwardly of said container said second sheet being congruent with said bottom and positioned on top of a substance filled into said container to the level of the fold lines defining said edge flaps; one of said edge flaps being wider than the other edge flaps and being folded on itself to form triangular double thickness end portions separated by a single thickness rectangular portion whereby said one edge flap is trapezoidal; the contacting surfaces of said double thickness end portions being welded only to each other; said other edge flaps being folded against and welded to said second sheet and said one edge flap being folded over said second sheet with only said single thickness rectangular portion welded thereto; said one edge flap constituting a pull tab, reinforced by said double thickness end portions not welded to said second sheet for tearing away at least the major portion of the side wall having said one edge flap and at least the major portion of said bottom to expose the filled-in substance.
 2. A container for meltable or semi-liquid substances, as claimed in claim 1, in which said bottom is a triangle.
 3. A container for meltable or semi-liquid substances, as claimed in claim 1, in which said bottom is a rectangle.
 4. A container for meltable or semi-liquid substances, as claimed in claim 1, in which said bottom is a square. 